Shane
by Bluntforcetrauma
Summary: Part one with New York and Las Vegas srossing paths. Not really to sure how to split it into chapters so it seams mighty long, sorry. Please RR cheers :


Over in New York Detective Donald Flack is walking into the main entrance to NYPD. Dressed in his usual black suit and long dark coat, he was nursing a coffee and fighting off the cold Yew York winter.

People bustled about their daily business on the streets wrapped up to keep the warm in and the cold out, not a single person walked by without gloves, hat and scarf all bodies encased by a thick winter coat. Even at this early hour people were rushing left right and centre, getting to work with places to go and people to see no time for anyone's interests but their own.

As he approaches the reception desk the on nearly retired on duty officer signals his attention. "Morning Owen, hope the PD are keeping this area warm enough for you, what can I do you for?" "They're doing ok son, you have a visitor. She's over by the coffee machine." Owen nods in the direction of a girl with smart black slacks and a suit jacket leaning against the coffee machine waiting for her drink, Her short dark hair was spiky at the back and the styled fringe brushed over her forehead. Stood next to her was a smaller girl who looked as if she was homeless, torn jeans and odd shoes, a parker coat that was covered in scuff marks from laying on the pavements of the over crowded streets, her hair was hidden under a think hat and her hands clasped together through tatty woollen gloves. The smarter girl took her coffee turned round to the homeless girl and handed it to her. "Take this and this, get some food for your self and somewhere to stay that's safe." "Thank you for the coffee, what's this? Why are you doing this?" "It's a number and address of a shelter. There's no reason just we all need a little help sometimes." "Thanks Shane," "That's ok Sophie, if you need anything else you know where to find me." "Sure." Sophie takes her coffee cradled in her hands and heads back out into the bitter streets.

"You never stop trying to fix things do you?" "I'm not fixing I'm helping. You know I went to school with her, pay it forward Donny anything can happen." "Ahh I knew you were my fav' little sis for a reason. Come here." They hug and Flack continues: "What's up?" "Nothing, well ok stuff I really need to talk to you. It's not something I wanted to do over the phone. And I also have a huge favour. Can I stay at yours for a couple of nights?" "Sure you can. I get off at 5 you know where the spare key is. Is everything ok?" "Not really but it can wait. We can't talk now your working, I love you" "Yeah you too," Shane walks off and out the door where she gets into her car turn's the heating to full and drives away. Flack looks as though he had more to say with a worried look on her face he is transfixed on the door.

"Hey Flack, what's up?" Dressed in his signature grey pinstripe suit and white shirt, Danny Messer's question snapped him back from his concerned thoughts. "Its Shane she's being weird. I'm worried." "She's female there all weird. Come on Mac wants us in his office ASAP." Danny holding a file in one hand and a paper coffee cup in the other takes a sip as they both turn and walk thorough the glass panel door's deeper into the police station.

Its now 5.30pm and through the front door of his apartment Flack walks in. "Hey I tried to call you I've been worried" He places his keys on the kitchen table where two place settings lay out, he hangs his coat as Shane serves the food. She is now dressed more casual in slung low jeans boxer shorts showing and a baggy tee shirt, busying herself serving the dinner. "Shane, you wanna tell me what's going on?" "Sit and we'll talk." Don picks up his cutlery and starts to eat Shane just picks up a fork and hovers it over the plate. He leaves Shane to explain, he knows she will if he doesn't push it and just listens, they shared that side of their personality as well as much else. After a few minutes he puts his hand in his pocket and takes out a key. "Before you say anything I want to give you this, a key to this place so no matter what happens, what you say you can always come here ok?" He slides the key across the table towards Shane. Without looking up she replies, "I had a falling out with Mum and Dad, something came to light and they didn't like it. Said I should stay with you for a while." "I called them" Said Flack between mouthfuls "They said I needed to talk to you, so tell me the rest of it." "I don't think I can, it hurts to much." "You got a sore throat?" "No, my throats fine thanks. They reacted a little differently to how I'd hoped when I told them I was leaving." Flack looks up knife and fork still firmly in hand, "You're leaving?" "Yeah, I got a job in Vegas as a music teacher, good hours, helping people by teaching in schools etc, Sunshine all year round. What more can I say?" "You can tell me why they're so pissed about a teaching job!" After a long pause Don looks back at her eyebrows raised "I'm moving there to be with my girlfriend." Shane picks up her knife and fork and starts eating avoiding the awkward eye contact, Flack has stopped eating and put his cutlery down.

"Are you sure your ready to move in with someone? It's a really huge deal." Shane looks at Don, who is sat back with his arms folded, after she finishes her mouthful, "You aint mad I'm gay?" "I think if it makes you happy then it doesn't matter what I think." "But it does, Mum and Dad don't want to know they think it's a phase, how do I tell them its me its what makes me happy I don't want to lose their love Donny." "You won't, looks it's a big deal to them right now but they'll get used to it because if they lose you they lose me. Give them time it may take days, months don't be surprised if we're still in the same place a year from now. How long have you known?" "Since I was about 15, you?" "That's 6 years, they've known what 1 day! I kinda thought you were just happy being you hanging out with the boys and one day one of them would sweep you off your feet." There is a few seconds silence in the air before they both go back to eating their dinner. "We're only living together till I find a place, I met her on holiday well she was at some conference I was staying at the same hotel. We talk every day, I think you'd like her." "Yeah? I hope so. What s for desert?" they look at each other and smile happily at each other.

Its early morning dark outside the Las Vegas crime lab after a tough shift Greg Sanders bursts out the main entrance and into the cooling morning air, where he stops and takes a breath, thankful for at least a minute he's alone. He heads over to a small wall and sits down where he rests his head against the building dropping his bag to the floor, after a few moments he closes his eyes and tries to force out the images of the mangled 5 year old boy who for now was laid out on Dr Robins table and was finally safe from harm, all Greg could think about was how it was too little too late.   
Sofia Curtis walks through the same door feeling that same cooling air hit her soft face; even through her tired eyes it refreshed her. As she makes slight eye contact with Greg he looks away and a street lamp catches a glimpse of moistness in his eyes as she walks over to him she zips up her jacket and puts her hands in her pockets finally feeling the desert chill, standing over him she rests a friendly hand on his shoulder "Tough shift?" Greg sat silently but Sofia understood why. A short minute later a red Ford pulls up with the driver in the front seat has a baseball cap pulled right down casting a shadow over their face. "This is my ride, Greg if you don't want to be alone you can stay at mine, or at lest come round for a drink, beer or coffee just don't go home and think about it or it will eat you from the inside out." "Thanks but I think that's all I want to do right now." "Right then I'm kidnapping you, we've all done it and it does us no good. Trust me, come on!"

She takes his arm and pulls him up he picks up his bag from the floor and follows her. As they approach the car Greg turns to Sofia and says "Hey thanks, for looking out for me." "We're friends its what friends do." They smile at each other as Greg opens the back door on the passenger side and sits in. Sofia opens the front passenger door and sits in; she leans over, the driver puts a hand on the side of her face and says "I've been waiting for you all day," The driver leans over and softly kisses her on the lips. "Hey sweetie, I missed you too." Sofia leans back in and kisses the driver slowly again on the lips. The driver turns round to face Greg and offers a hand to shake. "Hey how's it going?" Greg returns the gesture "Hey I'm Greg" "Shane, nice to meet you, are you coming over from some beers?" "Ask Sofia, she's in charge!" "Yeah he's coming back." "Alright then lets go." Shane starts the engine and pulls the car out of the crime lab car park and down the strip to Sofia and Shane's house.

Its morning time and Greg is stood outside Sofia's house waiting for her to find her keys. "You don't have to give me a ride home I can grab a cab." "Its really no trouble, I'm ready now." Sofia waves her keys in hand and quietly closes the door as they both walk towards the car and start driving down the quiet back roads away from the busy strip heading towards Greg's apartment. "Thanks for letting me come round for a drink. I'm not usually afraid to ask for help but last night I was just ashamed." "Why because you let a case get to you? Don't worry about it, it happens to everyone more than we let on. Your doing really great in the field, remember we've all been there there's a whole team of people you can talk to because we're your friends." "I know and I will." "Look I wanted to talk to you about Shane and I, I don't hide the fact I'm gay but I don't shout about it either. The way I see it its my life nothing to do with the lab or PD." "Sofia I'm not going to gossip about you at work. Friendship works both ways you know. I really like Shane she seems nice and she makes you happy." "She is nice and she does. Sorry Greg it was rude of me to think badly of you, that you would talk about me behind my back." "That's ok we've all been burned. But I really like you even if I didn't I wouldn't say anything behind your back." The car pulls to a slow stop outside Greg's apartment block on a dusty side street. Concrete steps protrude from the pavement and lead up to a glass door with 30 buttons at the side all with names and numbers next to them. Greg gets out the car and leans back in. "See you tonight?" "Sure will, you busy Sunday?" "Nope only work." "Why don't you to come have dinner with Shane and I?" "Yeah ok, see you later thanks for the ride."

Greg turns and jogs up the steps to his apartment looking foreword to a shower and some well-earned sleep. Sofia takes the short drive home where she quietly closes the front door strips herself of her top and trousers where she joins Shane in bed. Kissing her on the shoulder as she wraps an arm around her waist Shane stirs in her sleep and pulls her arm tighter around her and entwines her legs with hers. "Don't you ever get tired?" asks Shane. "Not of you," Sofia whispers back as she smiles and she begins kissing her on the neck.

"Mum, Mum its not my choice what she does. She just needs space. Of course I love you. She does too. I'm not having this talk with you over the phone I'll come round later. Mum, Mum crimes are being committed and I'm here with you on the phone I have to go. No I wasn't being disrespectful, I'm sorry. Talk later ma!"

Detective Flack slams his phone shut and tosses his head back sighing. "Still playing peace maker?" Messer enquires from the other side of the break room sipping a diet coke and reading the back of a cellophane covered comic. "Danny, you have no idea?" "You wanna talk?" "Nah I'm good maybe after tonight though!" "You know where I am." Flack joins Danny at the stainless steel garden furniture that decorates the break room and raises his cup of coffee to him. "Which one you reading?" Just at that moment Aiden and Stella enter the room. Carrying themselves like the strong confident women they were had both come from very different backgrounds, Aiden from the tough part of Brooklyn had seen a lot most people shouldn't, friends being killed, drug abuse and violence this was just growing up the things she saw got worse as she started working but she knew her job and her place that she was their to help now no victim was alone. Stella although from a nice area was no fool to pain. Growing up in an orphanage she had seen many children come and go and each take a different path to better or worse situations. Her eyes hid images she prayed every night the children of orphanages would never have to see. Both dressed in boiler suits tied down to the waists and uniformed white t-shirts covered in paint and oil stains. Danny and Flack both just look at them and raise an eyebrow. "Don't ask you don't want to know boys, you just don't want to know!" Said Stella as she poured herself and Aiden a cup of coffee. "Danny your how old? and your still reading comic books? Come on" "Excuse you Aiden! This is a limited edition, where Daredevil puts his first appearance in. I've waited months for this to come through the post" "Your such a geek." "So are you gonna take it out the cellophane Marvel boy?" Asks Stella as she joins the others at the table. "Are you kidding this is never coming out the packet maybe once under controlled conditions. This here will help me retire comfortably." Danny picks up the comic and puts it back in a brown paper bag. "What else you got in their any baseball cards cos we can swap some you know at the end of shift if your allowed." "Ha ha, Stella I thought you were the nice one?" Flack stood upright and took his coat from the back of the chair as he announced "Well guys I gotta go talk to you later. And if I hear you been bulling Danny, I'll be waiting for you after work to steal your lunch money ok?" They all smile at Flack as he leaves "We'll play nice." "Honest" Shout the girls as the door closes. Danny takes a big swig of his drink as the girls shot each other a look, "Quick he's gone lets get him!" Aiden and Stella jump out their seats and run round the table to Danny where Stella grabs his arms "Wedgey him do a wedgey" Mac walks in the door to see Stella holding Danny's arms in the air waving a coke can around and Aiden behind him fiddling with the back of his trousers. All three look up at Mac still frozen in position "I would like to ask what the heck is going on but I'm not sure I want to know, Danny when your free can I see you. Aiden when you give a wedgey you wanna pull them up real high and pull them out a bit so they ping back too, Stella erm nice hold. As you were people, as you were" Mac leaves the room and all three start laughing the girls let go of Danny and just rustle his hair usually pushed up to a small Mohawk now looked like bed hair, "You kidding me? I'm telling Flack!" Danny tries to fix his hair as he gets up and throws his can away and walks out the break room followed by the two women.

Later that night Danny is sat in his home watching a highlighted Mets game slumped across his armchair in jeans and a grey hoodie with a beer in one hand and the remote in the other he was snapped out of his tranquillity by the door buzzer. Bare foot he walked over to the box and by the front door and picks up the receiver, "Hello?" "Danny, its Flack are you still up for that chat?" "Sure come up." He replaces the receiver and pushes the button, a few moments later Flack is stood at his front door "Come in, take a seat. Beer?" "Yeah cheers." Danny places the two bottles of Bud on the table and turns down the TV, "So how'd it go with your folks?"

Over in Las Vegas the night shift are in the locker room changing readying them selves for the nights work. Nick Stokes, tall, dark features and handsome was checking his weapon for rounds. He hadn't fired in a good long while but he never started a shift without checking it. Warrick was standing putting on his shirt over his muscle top and holster; his mocha skin was complimented perfectly by his green eyes and his friendly smile, Warrick Brown was a good looking guy and he knew it. Nick oblivious to his perfectly toned body and chiselled jaw features worked out for himself, to keep fit for the job not for the ladies although it always brought him attention. Despite differences Nick and Warrick had been best friends since they started working together and had become like brothers, Greg although no stranger to the lab was new to the field and they had accepted him like a little brother, they gave him hassle but always have his back in any situation and Greg returned the favour by taking it all on the chin and was willing to learn every time they taught.

Sofia walks in obviously rushed and sits down on the bench and starts changing her shoes "Shit, Shit can't believe I slept through the damn alarm!" "Relax" replied Nick checking his sports watch. "We still got like 5 minutes before we start" "You look like hell did you sleep much?" "Thanks Warrick ever the gentleman! I need coffee see you in a bit" Sofia throws her shoes in the locker and slams the door shut and steps out the room. Warrick and Nick look at each other "That was a bit of a whirlwind" "I'll say," "Come on guys we all have off days" Greg replies defensively as he walks out of the room and towards the office. Nick and Warrick follow him as they looked at each other with eyebrows raised.

_My life is disorganised, my room is messy and none of the CD's are in their right places, DVD's are all over the place and the clothes don't get folded right out the wash and put away as they should. I eat to much and drink a bit more than I should but I'm happy, I thought till I met you I was complete then I got to know a little more each time I saw you are realised how perfect you are every little thing about you makes me want to be nearer to you, the way you smile the look in your eye when you talk about your passion for life the way you always help me get a little bit better. I think of your life being organised things in their places and the washing all done put away nicely. The way you treat you body as the temple it is I admire and respect you, I wish I could tell you this in person, maybe I will one day till then I'll work up the courage just to say- Thanks for being you. x _

Sofia folded the handwritten note back up and put it back in her rear trouser pocket. Smiling to herself she knew it was from Shane when she found it stuck to the refrigerator at home. She took her coffee cup and joined the rest of the group who were coming through the door and sat with them and the large circular wooden table. Gill Grissom an averagely looking man mid 50's with grey hair and glasses and a slight bow legged walk entered the room with a file in one hand and a book in the other. "Glad your all here on time, tonight's a quiet one which worries me" "Calm before the storm." "Exactly Nick so why we have the chance, I want as much paper work done as possible. Do it file it next case I want Ecklie out of my face. Hand in a couple of files in an hour or three then we'll start on the backlog of cases, so far we're about the 95 mark. Meet here in two hours with your paperwork then we'll go from there." "Griss you're telling us to leave the crime and do the time at our desks?" "It pains me to say it Warrick but the department is looking unorganised if we don't at least put in the effort to get some done. I lost you all once about stuff like this so," "Say no more we get ya." "Thank you. With Sara and Catherine away Sofia is stepping back into CSI for the week. if you could team up with Greg would be a big help walk him through the paperwork process once more so he's got it 100" "No problem." Greg and Sofia get up and leave the room followed by Nick, Warrick and Grissom. "Sofia show him the way?" "He'd like that" "Yeah I'm sure!" Warrick and Nick start laughing and head down the hall to collect files and find an empty desk.

The doorbell rang and was promptly answered by a short middle-aged lady dressed in blue trousers, floral top and slippers. "Donald" The lady grabs his shoulders and pulls him down towards her giving him a peck on the lips and a tight hug. "Thank goodness you're here." She pushes him away and heads towards the kitchen. "Take your shoes of hang your coat up and wash your hands for dinner good boy." "Hey ma." Flack takes his shoes off and hangs his coat on the stand in the corner of the floral papered hallway, heading to the downstairs bathroom to wash his hands he sees his father sat watching TV drinking a beer. "Donny" "Hey pop's" "Boy's dinner is on the table." Came the booming voice of his mother from the kitchen, both guys made their way to the kitchen and sat down to a neatly made table setting with three empty plates surrounding two dishes of hot main course and a large bowl of salad, three glasses paired with the plates were topped up with water. As they sat down Don looked up to see both his mother and father staring at him. "Shall I say grace?" "At least you remember your manners, please." "Ok. Dear Lord for the meal we're about to eat may we be truly grateful, for the love we have to share we thank you. Amen." "Amen" Echoed the reply, the men pick up the serving spoons and pile food onto their plates and start eating. "I don't know how you can eat at a time like this when the family is in crisis." "Betty don't be like that, I've been waiting to eat all day." "Yeah come on Ma, lets eat and we'll talk about Shannon later. You know I don't talk good on an empty stomach." "Can you do anything on an empty stomach?" "Of course not he's a Flack and we know how to eat right boy?" "Yeah Pop's"

Later that evening they are all sat in the living room Betty with her cup of tea and the others with light beers. "Donald I feel so hurt, how could she do this to us. Doesn't she love us?" "Ma of course she does, we both do. Nothing will change that." "What will the guys think down at Joe's?" "Dad it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks the neighbours or the guys at Joe's she's our family not theirs, but she wants your blessing. She was really upset that she had to stay at mine," "Are you defending her? Don't you love us either?" "Hey let me finish. I love you all I'm just here to be the middleman so please. She was upset but after I spoke to her she realised that you guys are entitled to feel the way you do, for now. She seems to have her head screwed on. There's a great job for her in Vegas, a place to stay till she can afford her own. And she fell in love who can help it?" "She's not in love Donald it's a phase. When it all goes wrong who is going to pick up the pieces, your father and I? I don't think so not after this." Flack senior leans foreword on his chair his brown trousers raising a little so you could see the black socks her wore under his slippers he clasped his hands in the prayer position at his lips and closed his eyes. "Donny how long have you known?" "When she came to stay with me last week she told me then." "How long has she known?" "Since she was 16. I told her that's 6 years to get used to it and you guys had only known a little while its gonna take some getting used too." There was an air of uneasy silence in the room the three just taking sips of their drinks to break the tension. "You know its been a long rough day you guys obviously have some talking to do I'm gonna head home. Thanks for dinner Ma." "We have nothing to talk about Donny." "If your not going to talk to each other then please at least call Shannon. You don't have to talk about it just ask her how she's doing, about the weather, the flight over there anything. I see a lot of messed up families every day for stuff much worse than this lets not be one of them, can we at least try and bridge a gap please?" Neither parent looks up at flack he is just stood in the doorway to the lounge as they stare into space ignoring him. "I'll leave her number on the table. See you for dinner Sunday, I love you." Flack pulls the door shut and walks into the hallway where he puts his coat and shoes on and heads out the front door and out into the drizzle rain, feeling like the evening went nowhere but a dead end he felt his mobile vibrate in his pocket he took it out to check his messages.**D.Messer**_: How'd it go?_

"So that was it, they just stared into space?" "Pretty much. I don't know what I was expecting not much but. I'll ring her tomorrow and tell her what's going on. I wonder how she's feeling?" "I'm sure she's doing fine, seems like you're here picking up the pieces how you doin'?" "Felling pretty messed up in the head right now, like I'm jammed in the middle but I don't wanna get out till its all sorted, like its my job." "Well how about we have another beer and watch the game? Its hockey season!" "I knew I could always count on you Messer in a crisis." Danny gets up and walks through the open plan apartment to the hardwood floor kitchen opening the fridge he sees little food just some fruit, veg and bottled water, along side a six pack of diet coke and a half empty six pack of beer. As he takes two out he takes the new case from on top the refrigerator and slides it into an empty shelf. When he comes back through to the lounge flack looks more relaxed leaning back on the sofa taking the beer from Danny and twisting the top. "Cheers," "Cheers" Echoed Danny as he sat back in the armchair legs over one side remote in one hand and drink in the other. "So you recon your born gay or it just happens one day you change your mind?" "I don't know Danny I guess its different for everyone." "You ever fancy a guy?" "No! you wanna watch your mouth pretty boy? What about you, Adam's apple and hairy chests do it for ya?" "Not really my thing I'm a ladies man its all about the curves, the smell, the way they carry themselves you know?" "Sure do. Who's your money on Penguins or Capitals?"

"That was great, here let me." Greg gets up from the dining table at Sofia's and starts collecting the plates and takes them through to the kitchen. "Hey Shane did you ever call your brother back?" "No, all he wants me to do is call home and make peace with them, its like trying to reason with Sadam Hussein I just have no energy to do it today." "Ok, well he called a lot are you sure that's all he wants?" "If it will make you relax I'll call him


End file.
